Category: Photos

The Burma Road, (photo 11), PFC John M. Halloran at Kunming, China

What a wonderful surprise I had when I found an old photo album of my father’s with some photos from during the war.  This is him in Kunming, China, where he trained the Chinese 1st Regiment on how to use American weaponry and on jungle warfare.  He wrote over the photo, and it is damaged, but because he did this I know where the photo was taken.  I felt like I won the lottery when I discovered this.  Dad brings a smile to my face when he writes, “A hard day’s work,” on the picture!  That is so like him to add quirky comments to his photographs.

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© 2019 Jeanne M. Halloran, all rights reserved

No portion of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or use of any information storage and retrieval system, without express written permission from the author.

The Burma Road, (photo 10), PFC Roland J. Knuth’s Ship Pass

PFC Ronald Knuth, Battery C 612 Field Artillery Battalion, Gun Crewman T4 took this photo.  This is typical of the Marsmen’s humor when leaving the safety of home to face the dangers of war awaiting in Burma.  Private Knuth is on board the General H. I. Butner bound for India (the first stop en route to Burma), when his shipmates mocked up this “Domain of the Golden Dragon” initiation pass.

Some of the Marsmen took the Butner, but according to Ken Laabs, others took one of the three Liberty ships: the USS Dearborn, the USS C.W. Fields, and the USS W.S. Halstead. (1)  The Liberty ships docked in Calcutta, India.  I don’t know where the Butner ended up, but it is possible this is the ship that my father boarded, which he reports docked in Bombay, India. 

I love how the men took the experience of heading for an exotic foreign land and made it into a parody, mocking a secret society initiation of a brotherhood sharing the “silent mysteries of the Far East”.

This photo is by courtesy of Ronald Knuth’s daughter, Sue Knuth Bailey, and is gratefully received.

Footnotes

(1)  Mars Task Force, 612th Field Artillery Battalion (Pk), Attached to the 5332nd Brigade (Prov). Unpublished memoir by Ken E. Laabs. Photocopied 2017. 9.

© 2019 Jeanne M. Halloran, all rights reserved

No portion of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or use of any information storage and retrieval system, without express written permission from the author.

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One of the Mars Task Force’s War-Mules (photo 9)

PFC Ronald Knuth, Battery C 612 Field Artillery Battalion, Gun Crewman T4 took this photo.  This is a typical mule utilized by the Mars Task Force to transport sections of the 75 mm Pack Howitzer cannon, ammunition, and supplies.

This photo is by courtesy of Ronald Knuth’s daughter, Sue Knuth Bailey, and is gratefully received.

 

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PFC Thomas Carr, Mars Task Force (photo 7)

PFC Ronald Knuth, Battery C 612 Field Artillery Battalion, Gun Crewman T4 took this photo.  This is PFC Thomas Carr.  I’ve met Tom at the 2016 and 2017 Mars Task Force Reunions, and he has wonderful stories to tell and great photos of his own.

This photo is by courtesy of Ronald Knuth’s daughter, Sue Knuth Bailey, and is gratefully received.

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This must have been taken in Burma, but I wonder if this is the Burma Road?  Or, it could be the Ledo Road.  Would love to know.  

The Men in the Cover Photo, Mars Task Force (photo 4)

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PFC Ronald Knuth, Battery C 612 Field Artillery Battalion, Gun Crewman T4 took this photo.  The men in the photo are: Stefanie, Tappe, and Godkin.  This was written on the back of the photo, but we don’t know which soldier was which.  

This photo is by courtesy of Ronald Knuth’s daughter, Sue Knuth Bailey, and is gratefully received.